The deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, Frances Fitzgerald on Tuesday tendered her resignation in a move to stave off government shutdown and snap election. According to Al Jazeera, Fitzgerald's decision to step down on Tuesday came after mounting pressure over the handling of a whistle-blowing corruption scandal within Ireland's Garda police force.
Fitzgerald had insisted in a statement that she had done nothing wrong, but said she was standing down "to avoid an unwelcome and potentially destabilising general election at this historically critical time.” The statement added;
"It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve in government. Throughout my career I have always sought to act with integrity and responsibility, and that is why I have decided on this occasion to put the national interest ahead of my own personal reputation."
Members of Irish parliament were slated to vote later on Tuesday on a no-confidence motion, filed by the opposition, in Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's minority government. However, following Fitzgerald's decision to quit as deputy prime minister and minister for business, enterprise and innovation, no such vote took place.
